Teaching a class virtually? Giving a shiur on social media? Learning online with a chevruta?
Source sheets are an invaluable tool for all types of teachers and learners.
We have created source sheets with instructions for creating and formatting source sheets which will get you started. But what do you do with them in a virtual world? Check out 10 of our favorite ideas below.
#1 Create a lesson plan - with or without student materials
At its most basic, a source sheet is a place to gather your sources and collect your thoughts. You can use the sheet to deliver the sources that the teacher will be referencing in the course of the lesson, or just to store your thoughts and text references so that you know what you'll be discussing with the students.
- Create a sheet
- Display the sheet while you are teaching
- Share the URL of the sheet to participants in the lesson
- Copy the URL from the browser or click on "Share" while in edit mode and copy the link.
- Send the URL via email, whatsapp, FB, your school's LMS, or any other way that you share links.
- While teaching the lesson, refer to the source sheet
- Here is a sample lesson plan, and here are the student materials to accompany that lesson plan
#2 Open up a a discussion on the source sheet.
Use the source sheet as the vehicle for collecting comments for participants in the lesson. This can be done in real-time (synchronously) or within a specific time period (asynchronously).
- Create a sheet - Add questions or prompts between sources.
- Set the sheet to "Anyone with access can add". (See screenshot below)
- Learners add comments, texts, or media to the sheet.
#3 Flip your classroom
Add a video which explains the lesson to the source sheet. You can record your own video or find a video on YouTube. Add sources and guiding questions and explanations to the source sheet for a complete lesson.
Directions for adding video to a source sheet are below.
To add a YouTube video, select "Media", enter the URL of the video and click “Add to Sheet”. You can do the same with SoundCloud or an MP3.
- For YouTube, it’s the “share” URL (when you click to share a video from YouTube, it gives you a URL).
- For MP3, the file name needs to end with .mp3.
#4 Compose a d'var Torah or lesson
Students study the Torah portion or a topic on Sefaria and teach it to others via a source sheet.
Clear expectations help the students to create their source sheets.
Along with specific instructions for the particular assignment, you might want to use the following general hints for writing a d'var Torah.
D'var Torah do's and don'ts:
- State your hypothesis in the first paragraph. Make it clear and catchy. Grab the attention of those who are listening so that they want to hear what you have to say.
- Be organized! You are familiar with the material but your audience isn't. Make it easy for them to follow your train of thought by taking them through your d'var Torah in a logical sequence.
- Wrap it all up in the final paragraph. Review your main points and hypothesis. Include a connection to your audience. How is what you taught them relevant to their lives? What can they learn from what you have taught?
#5 Explain a text
After students have learned a section of text, they can demonstrate their knowledge by explaining the text.
Steps include:
- Learning the text using the Sefaria library or a source sheet
- Recording the explanation on Soundcloud or create a video
- Creating a sheet with all of the texts mentioned in the explanation and adding the Soundcloud or video recording.
Directions for adding a Soundcloud recording and additional suggestions for using recordings can be found here.
#6 Practice Hebrew reading
Source sheets are great for Hebrew reading practice!
- Make a source sheet with the text that you would like the students to practice. Suggested texts include prayers from the siddur, Torah texts that the students have studied, unseen texts.
- Students practice reading the text until they feel that they are reading it accurately and at a good speed.
- Students record their reading on Soundcloud. They can record as many times as they like until they have a recording they are pleased with.
- Students add their recording to the sheet.
- Teachers can listen to the recordings and provide feedback on the sheet. (See Assigning sheets in #)
#7 Assign a sheet
When a teacher assigns a source sheet to a class, a template is made for the teacher and a copy is created for each student. When the student completes the source sheet, the teacher receives notification on the template. Teachers can even respond to the student’s work on individual source sheets.
Students can work on sheets individually, in chevruta (pairs) or in small groups.
Directions for using the assignment feature can be found here.
#8 Tell a Story
After students study a text (on Sefaria!), they can tell the story any number of creative ways and share their work on a source sheet.
Ideas include:
- Students recreate the story with Lego, stuffed animals, Barbies, or any other toys. After taking photos of their creations, they add the pictures to the source sheet along with original text.
- Students video themselves acting out the story with their friends, family or alone and add the video, along with the text, to a source sheet.
- Students tell the story in a rap which they record and add to a sheet along with the original text.
- Students illustrate the story using any art medium. Photos of the artwork can be added to the sheet along with the original text.
#9 Highlight text
Create tags, assign highlight colors, and mark up sections of texts.
Students can experiment with breaking down a text. Filtering and segmenting the tags helps learners understand how the components of a text fit together.
The highlighter is a great tool for students who are learning text skills, working to understand a text, or for teachers who want to assess students' mastery of these skills.
This feature works great together with the assignment feature.
Click here for detailed instructions and examples.